ROSIE Update

Update from Rosie's Auntie Robin:

Just a couple of weeks ago, we went hiking with Rosie and her Mom (Tabbie). Rosie is doing well, she is buff and healthy looking. She loves to hike and is very reliable off leash. She has a doggie friend "Poli" who stays with her sometimes. She is always happier when another dog is around, like lots of the Gabbs dogs.

She has apparently mostly conquered her fear of the resident kitties and now shares the bed with them, and of course, her mom.

She is still sweet and loving and very happy about her new life. I hope Tabbie can find time to give a fuller update, but that's the news I have for now.

YEAH for ROSIE!!

MR PRANCER

Remember Prancer?

Prancer waited over a year and a half, but in August 2009, he finally met Gloria, his new mom. Prancer now has the life he never knew existed when he was living in the cold and mud at Gabbs. He now sleeps on blankets by Gloria’s bed instead of in a damp hay house. In the morning, he climbs in the truck and goes with her to get coffee. He has a small yard where he can go out and nap in the sun. He goes for several walks a day and gets to go running off lead in the hills with his new friend Pumpkin. Prancer is devoted to Gloria and she to him.

Of course there are the Gabbs dog quirks. The oft repeated “fear of men”. Not men in general, just the ones who happen to live in the same household. Gloria takes care of an elderly gentleman, Vern. Bags of chicken jerky treats couldn’t convince Prancer that Vern was to be trusted. Prancer still barks at him and won’t willingly stay in the room if Vern is there. Sometimes Prancer decides he would like to sit in the truck “for a few more hours, please.” Prancer carries on his own little conversation in grunts, whines and barks. Gloria listens very patiently to all he has to say.

Prancer saying hello to Kris from Safe Haven

On October 24^th, Gloria brought Prancer to Bark in the Park to visit some of his old friends. Prancer was happy to see the old gang from Safe Haven, but he was always turning to look to make sure new mom Gloria was nearby.

Prancer with his new mom Gloria, and buddy Pumpkin.


THREE CHEERS FOR PRANCER!!

A Gabbs Emergency

My name is Debra Ross. I Live in Gardnerville, Nevada. In late 2007 several animal organizations went to a place called Gabbs, Nevada where a lady had hoarded 150 dogs…..she passed away and left behind the 150 dogs. I volunteer for United Animal Nations-EARS. They took about 50 of the dogs and sheltered them in Reno, Nevada while they placed these 50 dogs in foster homes etc. One dog-Socks(see her pic below)-seemed real feral and aggressive. They had thoughts of putting her down. When the temporary shelter was about to close, Socks was the only one leftL I decided to take on the challenge, re-hab her and find her a home…..I prepared my house setting up her own private bedroom in the house with a dog door to a VERY secure 12 x 12 kennel with a top. She came to my home 2/21/2008. As of this letter she has been here 20 months. In the beginning she was very scared, would not come inside, afraid of the building, the TV, ceiling fan etc…I tried leash training-way to soon and paid with several good bites…soon she showed interest in my male Queensland and my female lab/huskie. After several months, I “Housed” her with them. They had a bigger “Patio yard” and there own bedroom-no more small closed in kennelJ Since my lab/huskie was old and had cancer, Socks and my Queensland fell in love…..he taught her to come inside, with his help we have crate trained her and she will go in her crate at request. She finally would eat out of a bowl, was not afraid of the TV anymore etc… She seems to be OK with my kids who are younger 6 and 9. It is like she does not see them as “People” so she likes them…BUT she will NOT allow touch from anyone….UNLESS she is in the crate….I have rubbed her, brushed her and put on a collar…and she has not even tried to bite now that she has settled. After about 6 months here, we had the vet knock her out, transport her, spay, microchip & vaccinate her. He believes she is 3 or 4 and maybe born on the property. That may be why she is more feral than the others. The problem I am having now is that my Queensland is confined to this small area during the day(bedroom/patio yard) and entire yard at night-with her only…but he no longer is out playing with our little dogs because Socks looks at them and has gone after them to eat them…..IF I secure her and bring the Queensland out, she can clear a 6 foot fence easy to get to him and be with him. So I have several issues…I can not trust her with little dogs….and it is a train wreck waiting to happen if(when) she got out and got to them. My Queensland is lonely and is starting to show aggression toward her. She does fine with large dogs and we have had 7 or 8 here at once and she plays OK….but a Medium or small dog…she see’s food….My kids are sad and so am I that our Queensland is not with us all the time, like he used to be…I felt if I got to where I can lead her on a leash and make more progress I could work on the little dog issue, BUT we have not made anymore progress. We have decided that within the month we should put her down, before a bad situation happensL But first I decided to reach out to maybe find her a place to go and maybe go to that next level that I can not get her to….a place where the person has a good set up to keep her safe(enclosed kennel with access to indoors), no small animals and a person who knows what they are doing……..if this is you please E mail me at: Debra@petsittersplus.com

Race Update

Remember Race? We got an update on him. A Dog Town Canine Rescue volunteer spent her birthday volunteering at Best Friends (what an awesome way to spend you birthday). She sent this update about Race.

"Wanted to let you know that I have been working with Racer (A Gabbs Dog) and another Feral dog in his run this week. I did not remember much about him, so I went slow and easy with him. He does seem to be happy. He is doing much better than the other feral dog that he lives with. I wish I had a couple of months down there to work with him. I believe he does have a chance to become adoptable, but needs to be worked with on a daily basis and spend almost the whole day with people. I do not know how much time the caregiver's have to just sit with the feral dogs. He let me put his food dish down and when he was done, take it away. He eats on his bed. Wed. and Thurs. he was coming out to where I was sitting and would come out when I would go next run.

Most of the dogs that that live in these buildings are red collared, which means volunteers cannot go into the runs. Some of the dogs have green collars. I could work with them and go into their area. Most only have 1 dog in, as most of the dogs are aggressive towards other dogs. Racer and the other feral are not aggressive, so the two dogs live in the same run. Racer had his bed inside and I not sure if another bed could fit in there, that is how small it was. There other feral must come in during the winter, though I noticed the dog house that is under a tent had hay in it."

Race inside the kennel.

If you are interested in adopting Race, please contact Best Friends.

We Love You Race!!

Good Story

While the following story does not give an update on any of the Gabbs Dogs, it is a great story that we can all relate to.

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side. When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we?'

'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered.

'Wow! Would you happen to have some water?' the man asked.

‘Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.' The man gestured, and the gate began to open.

'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?' the traveler asked.

'I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets.'

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.

'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?'

'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in.'

'How about my friend here?' the traveler gestured to the dog.

'There should be a bowl by the pump.'

They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.

'What do you call this place?' the traveler asked.

'This is Heaven,' he answered.

'Well, that's confusing,' the traveler said. 'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.'

'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's hell.'

'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?'

'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.'